The first “Earth Day Celebration” was held on April 22, 2002, in the employee parking lot of Murfreesboro Electric Department (MED).  MED created this event to kick-off TVA’s newly developed Green Power Switch Program.  The next year MED partnered with the City of Murfreesboro and moved the event to Murfreesboro’s Civic Plaza.     

In 2011, the Earth Day Celebration marked its 10th anniversary by adding Rutherford County as a sponsor and moving the event to Rutherford County’s Historic Downtown Square.  This move allowed the event to increase the number of booth spaces and participants who came to the event to show interest in the preservation of Earth’s ecology and more efficient use of the Earth’s resources and energy.  The public square also involves more county agencies and creates incentives for people throughout the county to participate.  We also made the Earth Day Celebration a Zero-Waste Event.  To keep waste levels low, exhibitors, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers are required to comply with all Zero Waste guidelines.  Organizations that do not abide by the terms of the waste guidelines may not be allowed to participate in future events.  Recycling containers are provided on-site, and we have volunteers who walk around during the event to pick up trash.    

In 2013, the Earth Day committee decided that each year we would focus on an important environmental issue.  Our first theme was Butterflies, followed by Trees, Water, Recycling, Bees, Extreme Weather, S.O.S Save Our Species: Protect, Don’t Neglect TN Wildlife, #Restore Rutherford and You have the power to be the change.  What does Earth Day mean to you?  This year’s theme is “Think Green: Planet vs Plastics.” 

In 2021, the Earth Day Celebration evolved again due to the purchase of MED by Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE).  MTE is carrying on the tradition set by MED by being the presenting sponsor and coordinator for this event.  Since MTE serves all of Rutherford County, the name was changed from Murfreesboro’s Earth Day Celebration to Rutherford County’s Earth Day Celebration.